Rustoleum Professional versus Rustoleum regular spray paint

[flyboy2610]

Is there really a difference between Rustoleum 'Professional' and Rustoleum 'regular' spray paints?
I have decided that my truck is going to get a repaint. Originally, it was Boxwood green above the beltline and Wimbledon white below the beltline. A PO painted it flat tan above and who knows what shade of white below. I like the Boxwood green, but spray bombs run anywhere from $10 each (if purchased as part of a 32 pack!) to $25 for a single can. And, yes, this will be a spray bomb job. I do not have the money, facilities, or equipment for a paint gun job. It would take the rest of my life to use 32 cans of Boxwood green spray paint!
So I'm thinking of going with Rustoleum's Hunter Green, the lighter shade not the real dark shade. A 15 oz. can of Professional is $4.97 at Menard's, and a 12 oz. can of the regular is $3.77. Comes out to 33.133 cents per oz. for the Professional, and 31.416 cents per oz. for the regular stuff. Not enough of a difference to fret over.
Now, I just need to decide which grade to go with. If there really isn't any difference, I'll go with the regular. But if the Professional grade is actually a tougher paint, I'll go with that.
Does anybody know if there really is a difference?

[Calfdemon]

Not sure of the difference, but since I used Rustoleum regular to paint my engine bay and am doing the same to my interior, I wanted to point something out to you that I noticed...

I am using the Rustoleum Charleston Green which is the darker green they sell. I have painted a bunch of my interior components with it and it lays down really well. But if I take a fingernail to it, it scratches very easily and leaves a lighter green color where I scratch. Even paint that I have let sit for a week or more will do this. If you are going to rattlecan the truck, you are going to have to get a rattlecan clearcoat as well to protect the paint as it just does not harden like a regular automotive paint does. It will probably double the cost of your paint job, but it is still significantly cheaper than a pro job.

I went to my local OSH and they have the rustoleum clear coat spray cans in every finish from gloss to flat for about the same price per can. I dont care about my engine bay so much, but my interior will have things rubbing and hitting on painted panels from time to time and I am going to clear coat it all just to be safe. Depending on how my interior comes out, I might do the whole truck as well to save me a bunch of money. Its not going to be a show truck, so as long as I can get it to lay down halfway decent, I will be happy.

Not sure if the professional dries harder, but the regular that I used scratches easy. I think it was the regular... The cans I used have the white can. Isnt the professional have a metallic can?

Good luck with yours!

[flyboy2610]

Yea, the professional stuff is in a metallic colored can. I will definitely be clear coating anything i paint. I might just get a can the professional and a can of regular and do a little homemade paint test. Maybe primer a piece of metal, spray part of it with one grade, part with the other, and give each side one swipe with some sandpaper to see which scratches worse.

[HIO Silver]

If you're thinking about a low-buck paint job, have you thought about rolling on Rustoleum? It'll take multiple coats and a generous amount of labor but the mil thickness will be miles above a rattle can job.

For your reading:
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/body ... ewall.html
http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/sh ... t-job-quot

[flyboy2610]

Yea, I though about rolling it on, but decided to go this route.

[chad67]

I have used a brand of paint called Van Sickle. It's sold at Orscheln's where I live, but may be available at other tractor supply places, too. It runs about $26 for a gallon. I got my HVLP spray gun from Harbor Freight for $9.99 with a coupon from Hot Rod magazine. Excellent results and ALOT easier than trying to use rattle cans and get any kind of quality. Plus no finger cramps. I even used a crappy compressor that I got for $75 at a pawn shop 5 years ago. BTW, I painted my last car in my driveway and the gun was worlds better, especially if there is any breeze at all. Just a few thoughts based on my experiences!

[flyboy2610]

How many CFM is your compressor? I don't have one, and if I got one it would have to be a portable. (Had a 5 gallon twin tank portable. It died.) I don't think they put out enough air to spray with, though.

[chad67]

My compressor is a 2hp 6gallon tank. It's rated at 2.2 cfm. The spray gun I used has a relatively small paint cup which actually works well as the compressor has time to catch up while I fill the cup. I never had any problems with running out of air. That is to say, you don't need much compressor just to do one job. As to using rattle cans...if you have ever had to sand and repaint anything rattle can painted, you know how gummy it can get. Another thing to consider if you plan to keep the truck.

[michael69]

The only difference I found in them when I did my F600 bezel was the spray nozzle on the cans. Paint seamed the same,but the professional can sprayed alot smoother to me.

[flyboy2610]

I did my little paint test, and it seems that the regular paint does scratch more easily than the Pro paint does.
The regular green is on the left, and the Pro on the right.


They are both called Hunter Green, but the Pro is definitely a darker shade. The Pro is also a harder paint, my fingernail won't scratch it nearly as easily as it will the regular grade. The scratches you see were done with one pass of 60 grit sandpaper.
The white is regular grade Canvas white, which is an off-white, much like Wimbledon white. That is probably what I'll use on the bottom of the truck.
I also picked up one of Rustoleum's spray paint handles. Much easier on the thumbs!

[jzjames]

Think of a paint besides Rustoleum. Like Duplicolor Engine Enamel. Its formulated with ceramic material in it.
I havent seen a rattlecan paint with better adhesion and durability after drying than this paint. There's plenty of colors in the Engine Enamel line, Hunter Green even....

[tylerb43]

flyboy - My quick opinion is the Rusto-Pro is much better than the regular stuff. I covers extremely well and lays flat, and seems to be a much more durable finish when cured. I only use the Professional stuff whenever there's a choice, the extra cost is worth it to me. The nozzle design in spray cans is a big deal. When I was a kid, spray paint was pretty much crap-paint that spit and sputtered all over your part. Sounds funny to say, but rattle can "technology" has come a long way.

[flyboy2610]

Sounds funny to say, but rattle can "technology" has come a long way.

We no longer have to deal with those flimsy 'nozzles' at the top of a thin plastic straw, do we?

[jimmy828]

I'm using the Pro Rustoleum and sure hope it stands up as good as people say. I have used it on all kind of parts from small to large pcs. I have noticed that it takes days or even weeks to cure to a harden finish. Must say that so far that i'm pleased with it.